Studying/Living in Valencia!

[Katie L]

Hola todos,

I am an American college student going to Valencia for 4 months (January to May) and living with a family in a homestay. Needless to say, living in Spain and becoming fluent in Spanish has been my DREAM for the past 8 years. Even though I am taking classes right now (I'm a Spanish minor for Teacher Education), I been reading extra language books and have been listening to a bunch of the intermediate and advanced Spanish podcasts.

I have a few concerns though. Maybe you can shed some light on them, especially as Europeans? (Sorry in advance for the length)

1) I know that the idea of an American student studying in Europe must conjure images of some loud, obnoxious fool who wears white athletic shoes and is really excited that they can legally get drunk with their group of 15 friends at the bar, makes no effort to speak Spanish with a proper accent, and voted for George Bush.

How can I avoid this stereotype????? Besides, that is, to refrain from wearing gym shoes. I am genuinely interested (no, really!) in soaking up the culture, learning about my host family, and improving my language skills as much as possible. I reeeeally don't want to look like what the South Americans refer to as a "gringa." What other stereotypes/opinions of Americans can I expect to encounter, and how should I prepare for that?

2) Can you tell me anything about Valencia? The board has a lot of info about Madrid and Barcelona, but I would love if anyone wants to share their opinions and experiences of the third largest city.

3) What can I expect when it comes to the Valenciano dialect? They haven't really "prepped" us at all for that...and, not gonna lie, I'm a little scared!

4) Anything else you'd like to tell me!

¡Muchas, MUCHAS gracias!

Katie

P.S. I love this forum

[Katie L]

Ben and Marina, I love the podcasts. Your voices are great to listen to and I love the conversations.:)

[ValenciaSon]

Hi Katie,

You may want to look at this thread (http://www.notesfromspain.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310), if you haven't already.

[Katie L]

oh, thanks!

[ValenciaSon]

That thread may not answer all of your questions but I think it is a start.

Keep us posted (no pun intended)

You are welcome and good luck!

[Katie L]

I will-- Actually, I'm going to be writing a blog from Spain for a website I write for, so I'll be documenting my travels online anyway.

[Ben]

Hi Katie, welcome to NFS.

To avoid being seen as a typical tourist the best thing is just to make a real effort to talk to the locals, and just to be yourself. I wouldn't worry too much about it to be honest. If you are a nice person no one will care where you come from!

Valenciano shouldn't be a problem either, everyone speaks Spanish there and though you may here it spoken here and there, I think the dominant language is Spanish.

Valencia is a wonderful city. Wandering around the old parts is great, and if you are there over Las Fallas, which lasts a week up to March 19th, you'll have the time of your life!

Let us know where to find your blog once it is up and running, I'd love to read it!

[sean4]

Hi Katie! I'm currently living in Valencia and I've also lived in Madrid. I'll attempt to answer your questions. (long post)

It seems that you might be in Valencia already, so I don't know how much this will help you, but nonetheless..

1) Well, there really isn't any "way" to avoid this stereotype. If you have blond hair, you're going to be perceived as foreign. The majority of Spanish people go to class dressed nicely (this means they don't wear hoodies and pajama pants like some do in the USA).

Your best bet to fit in is just search for intercambios or talk to people in the classes you are taking. There are a lot of Spaniards who like to practice their English in exchange for you practicing Spanish with them. These can be found through paper postings in your school, through some sort of match-making service in your school, or looking on the internet through a service such as loquo (it's similar to Craig's list).

I tend to find that, on the whole, Spanish people are rather closed with their friendships. In general, Americans have a lot of superficial relationships (more acquaintances), whereas Spanish people tend to just have their tight group of friends that they hang out with. Regardless, you just need to have an open mind and not be discouraged or embarrassed when talking to a Spanish person.

2) Valencia is a great city. Right on the beach and plenty of night life. There is too much to talk about the city without writing a gigantic post. I suggest going to the bookstore and reading the travel guides (I suggest Lonely Planet) for some of the history and different spots. The travel guides aren't great guides for living here, but they're a good start to get you accustomed to the city.

3) Ahh.. Valencian. Well, for the most part, you won't have a problem here if you don't speak it. Valencia isn't like Cataluña, meaning that the major language spoken here is castellano. At most schools, valenciano is an official language as well and the students have the option to take classes in valenciano (this shouldn't affect you). Most street signs and any sort of government posting/building/etc. are in valenciano, but it isn't difficult to understand.

Whether someone speaks valenciano or not really depends upon a few things. The people that come from smaller towns outside the city typically speak it with their family, so it has always been a first language to them, but they also (typically, but not in all cases) speak castellano just as well or better. When you get into the major city, this is a little bit different. I know quite a few people here who grew up with parents who aren't from this region (some from Castilla La Mancha or La Rioja) so their first language isn't valenciano. If they grew up in Valencia, they (most likely) had to learn valenciano in school, so they are competent in the language, if not fluent. If they moved here to study in the university, they typically have to take courses in valenciano to become competent in the language.

All in all, you shouldn't have a problem with valenciano at all. I hear it mostly from older people and in groups of students here who are all from Valencia (who have most likely been friends for some time).


If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

[Katie L]

Thanks for the detailed reply ;D

I'm travel blogging (www.spartanedge.com/blogs/spartanedge24) for a website if you're interested in hearing about how this foreigner will inevitably make a fool out of herself in your current town.

I leave at the end of the week--I can't wait!

[thismortalcoil]

¡Hola Katie! I know you are so excited about your trip across the big pond. I'm also an American studying in Spain (Granada), so I can relate to your excitement/worries.

I personally haven't encountered any sort of anti-American sentiment in Spain. The clothing style is different, yes, but even when I decide to "rough it" and go out in tennis shoes, jeans and a hoodie, no one treats me any differently. I know some American students who get frustrated when they order or speak to someone in Spanish and the person replies to them in English...but that's never happened to me personally. I think, for me, trying to imitate the accent as much as possible has helped me blend in a little more. Speaking of...I don't know about Valencia, but I was warned over and over before I arrived that the people in Granada speak with an incomprehensible accent and that I would be completely lost. Luckily, though, it was grossly exaggerated and I find that I understand them far better than the Latin-American/Mexicans I knew back home! I'm sure you will adapt far better than you may expect...and when you start thinking in Spanish, you're on your way! ;D

I have a blog, too, if you're interested in taking a look: www.blairinspain.com (http://www.blairinspain.com)

Feel free to ask if you have any more questions. If you ever head to Granada, let me know and maybe we can meet up! ¡Buena suerte!